TRIP ITINERARYThis tour is operated exclusively for you and your partyThis itinerary can be customized as you wish, please contact us for details

Day 1Arrival and transfer to LecceTransfer to your hotel in Lecce and rest of the day at leisure. Dinner at a typical restaurant, where you will taste delicious local plates

Day 2Lecce - OtrantoAfter the visit of the town of Lecce in the morning departure for Puglia's most Southern part, the Salento Peninsula. Lots of good beaches dot the coast as well as picturesque towns with Greek-style architecture like Otranto, where we will stop for a stroll at the seafront. Much of this area is covered with olive groves and vineyards producing the high-quality olive oil and wine that Puglia is known for. Return to Lecce in the late afternoon

Day 3 Manduria - Martina FrancaDeparture for the town of Manduria and visit a 19th-century winery. Explore the fascinating Museum of Primitivo wine and taste some delicious wine and food. Continue to the Baroque city of Martina Franca and settle at your hotel surrounded by a beautiful green park.

Day 4Cisternino - Ostuni - Dolmen - Olive oil mill - Martina FrancaDeparture for the town of Ostuni and stop for a nice walk in the village of Cisternino.Sitting atop a hill, Ostuni's white buildings make it stand out against the blue sky creating a beautiful image. Wander through the old alleys of its historic center, a pedestrian zone, inside its ancient walls and enjoy a panoramic view from the hilltop. Lunch in a local restaurant. In the afternoon visit the "Montalbano Dolmen", which is a sacrificial altar that dates back to the early Bronze Age, around 2000 B.C. The dolmen would represent one of the most ancient testimonies of the cult of the dead in the surrounding area. Visit a local olive oil mill and learn how the famous extra virgin olive oil is produced. Return to your hotel in Martina Franca in the afternoon

Day 5Locorotondo - Alberobello - MateraDeparture for Alberobello driving through the lovely town of Locorotondo. The historic part of the town is a whitewashed maze of little lanes lined with historic buildings. Visit the town of Alberobello, known as the Capital of the Trulli (buildings with conical roof made without mortar) and designated a UNESCO world heritage site.Arrival in Matera, which is one of the most ancient towns in the world and settle at your hotel in the famous "Sassi district", that is the "heart" of the old town. Dinner in a typical restaurant

Day 6MateraGuided tour of Matera and the "Sassi district", which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the morning. The Sassi date from prehistoric times and were used as housing until the 1950's. Several movies have been filmed in the sassi district including Mel Gibson's, The Passion of the Christ. Time to explore the town on your own or to relax in the afternoonDay 7Craco (Abandoned Ghost Town) - Metaponto - MateraVisit the village of Craco, in the region of Basilicata. In 1963, Craco began to be evacuated due to a landslide and after the earthquake in 1980 the ancient site of Craco was completely abandoned.Today, thanks to the dramatic landscape and unique atmosphere, Craco has been the set of many movies including Saving Grace, James Bond Quantum of Solace and the hanging of Judas scene in Mel Gibson’s the Passion of the ChristIn 2010, Craco has been included in the watch list of the World Monuments Fund. Today, Craco is no longer accessible to the public, except by guided tour. While the town has fallen into ruin, several of the buildings, palaces and churches still remain intact with original features like shutters, railings, and frescoes serving as a reminder of the life that once existed within the walls. Have lunch in a typical country farm, before heading South towards the Mediterranean Sea and visit the ruins of Metaponto that was a rich and flourishing Greek outpost, founded in the 7th century before Christ. Return to your hotel in Matera in the afternoon

Day 8Medieval Villages in BasilicataToday we visit two of the most spectacular and off the beaten path villages in the South of Italy, Pietrapertosa and Castelmezzano, two mountaintop villages ringed by the Lucanian Dolomites. Castelmezzano is surely one of Italy's most theatrical villages: the houses huddle along an impossibly narrow ledge that falls away in gorges to the river. Pietrapertosa is even more amazing: the Saracen fortress at its pinnacle is carved out of the mountain.​Have a typical lunch and taste local products and delicious wine. Return to your hotel in Matera in the afternoon

Day 9Departure transfer to Brindisi airportTransfer to Brindisi airport

You can add extra nights in Bari or Brindisi, before or after the tour and extend your stay in Italy. Please, contact us for more info

Castelmezzano was included by Budget Travel magazine among "The best places you've never heard of"

Pietrapertosa is part of "The most beautiful villages in Italy", an Italian association that notes small towns of strong artistic and historical interestPietrapertosa literally translates as "perforated stone" and, indeed, the village sits in the midst of bizarrely shaped rocky towers